Recent changes for the Google Merchant Center can frequently mean suspensions for unwary retailers. Read about the 5 most frequent Merchant Center suspensions and ways to overcome them.
Any Google Shopping merchant would cringe to discover an e-mail inside their inbox that begins with the word what:
“Dear Google Shopping Merchant,
It’s showed up at our attention the Google Merchant Center account ID does not stick to our Google Shopping feed specs (offered by https://support.google.com/retailers/answer/188494) . . .”
With Google’s recent changes, however, you may even check this out message more frequently. Today we’ll be covering five common merchant center suspensions and the way to proceed once your goods are presently susceptible to suspension.
Google Shopping Rejection 1
1. Using old data after September 30th
On September 30th, Google began enforcing changes for his or her attribute character limits and availability values. Take heed to individuals changes in the event you only submit your datafeed monthly or want to make a feed for christmas.
Availability – Really the only options acceptable values are really “in stock,” “out of stock” and “preorder.” One particular fix to acquire your product or service reapproved is to apply “Available for Order” updating inside the Google Availability part of your product or service Settings.
Character Limit Enforcement – Product titles have a very 150 maximum character length and descriptions are limited to five,000 figures Google will flag your products or services once they exceed these limitations. The quickest strategy for finding out what products have content that’s too extended is always to execute a standard export with a CSV and rehearse the =len(Cell) function in Stick out. After populating important computer data sort the posts edit individuals what exactly are largest making your edits before reimporting.
2. Incorrect Images
Prevalent difficulties with your images could be the easiest error to put, but one of the trickier ones to resolve. Google will explain that “your account is presently susceptible to suspension because Google Shopping doesn’t allow products with inaccurate images. Images which contains marketing messages, including watermarks or marketing text, are disallowed. The appearance must display the item. Image links pointing for the store’s emblem or other generic images aren’t allowed either. Don’t submit a placeholder for instance “No image”.”
An image-related suspension is different from just getting invalid images. A .gif to Digital switch, or crawl error, might be fixed with information within the data quality tab. An image breach suspension requires a manual summary of your products or services by Google’s Shopping Team, so make certain that problematic SKUS are actually updated.
Google Shopping Rejection 2
Any product without any image needs to be excluded from your data feed. In addition, employing a subpar image is yet another major (negative) conversation rate influence. If you’re employing a default nophoto.gif or watermarked images, revert for the originals or determine whether your product or service supplier can provide new images.
3. Unsecure Checkout
Google Shopping policy requires a way of users to purchase the item online through either a repayment service or on the internet site.
Payment and transaction processing, additionally to processing connected having a personal data in the user (such as the address), ought to be secure (SSL-protected, getting a legitimate SSL certificate). Basically, these records ought to be transmitted securely greater than a secure processing server (https://).
Even if you’re using PayPal because the sole payment gateway, Google requires a secure checkout process, which requires an SSL. You are able to assist lower your abandoned carts by passing client information through https:// as opposed to http.
4. No Tax or Shipping
This Merchant Center warning generally appears following a first effective data feed submission. The Tax and Shipping settings within the Merchant Center become a “catch all” if you are not submitting these records inside the file. Typically the most popular concern is they are not enabled, or set to default.
Google Shopping Rejection 3
When making your Tax settings, you manage to not charge tax inside the united states . States to be able to specify the very first states you’ll need. You need to choose one of these brilliant options to remove Google’s “tax settings not configured” message.
Google Shopping Rejection 4
The most frequent error with shipping settings is the shipping method status is not set to ACTIVE. Like the Volusion dashboard, you need to activate the shipping method you want to utilize. Also, in the event you offer totally free, make certain to assemble it within the Merchant Center too. Google mix-references a product’s weight along with your shipping settings and really should find out about specials that may override that information.
5. Restricted Products
Advertising an item from Google’s Restricted Product list can result in a forex account suspension. Google bans a big selection of products from Google Shopping, from live creatures to passenger planes, despite the fact that you will find smaller sized sized products vulnerable to lead to further problems, particularly with new changes for his or her “dangerous product” selection.
Products for instance airsoft guns, bb guns and ammunition clips are banned, similar to tobacco related equipment, which now includes e-cigarettes and pipes. The simplest way to resolve this sort of suspension is always to err to the side of caution and filter any products which may be connected while using restricted list.
Also keep in mind, when you’re searching for technical assistance, consult our Understanding Base for instruction on product management plus much more.
-Sean O’Connor, Internet Search Engine Marketing Specialist